Judge challenges prosecutors on terror case

A federal judge preparing to sentence a British citizen for supporting terrorists in Afghanistan challenged U.S. prosecutors Friday on their claim that the defendant supported al-Qaida.

Babar Ahmad’s support for the Taliban regime in Afghanistan didn’t necessarily mean he supported al-Qaida, Judge Janet Hall said during a hearing in New Haven. She cited the testimony of a government cooperating witness who denied Ahmad supported al-Qaida.

“Your own witness doesn’t support that,” Hall said. “Fighting against U.S. forces doesn’t necessarily equate to support of al-Qaida. To me al-Qaida is being protected so it can go elsewhere and do acts of terrorism.”

Prosecutor Stephen Reynolds said Ahmad was not a member of al-Qaida but became sympathetic to the terrorist group and sent people to its training camps.